The Demon And The Angel
by DragonLegends
Summary: Blood holds all the emotion a living being has, what does the blood of an Assassin taste like? AltairXOC


**Hey Guys, I did some editing on this chapter, not much though. I guess I just haven't been in the writing mood for the last couple of months, with school and everything. I hope to get back on track with this. If things don't turn out so well I may just post the last chapter, so at least you will know how it ends.**

** I hope it doesn't come to that though. I don't want to be wasting your time.**

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Life and death, a very simple concept. You are born , also known as your start and then you live. Also known as the progression of events that all come to an abrupt end, death. Most are ready for the end, death if you will, they just don't realize it until death holds them in its arms and shows them the paradise they have been waiting for. Then there are those few… their mind is immortal if one can use that term; who cannot accept the paradise which is death because well, nothing is true.

There are five Immortal races in the universe; three of them are invincible and never ending. Archangels, a street name for this race, they uphold a balance of energy, you never seem them working but they are always there.

Earth lords, they can be known as the creators of all mortal life in this universe, they have long lost their ability to speak with creation.

Gods, they are well… gods. Preservers of the universe , rulers, masters of elements, creators of the void, of space they have no true form for they choose what they wish to be. There is only one problem. They must have someone, anyone, anything , at least one thing needs to believe in them or else they lose all their powers, and a belief can transverse time. These three races are the invincible's the never-ending as odd as it may sound.

The last two races are the most important, they are immortal but not invincible. They are more or less the same yet so very different, they are the demons and angels.

Demons are a side group off of angels, they are actually angels themselves but instead of growing up in the dazzling Overworld they were bred in the depths of the Underworld ; two universes that exist above and below this one. Demons are neither evil nor good but they are the reason Vampirism and Lycanthropy exist.

Angels on the other hand, calling them all good would be wrong and calling them all evil would be too. They had two extremes and when it came down to it they just did as they pleased. By the time sentient races had appeared on earth most angels stopped coming to this universe but there were still a few, some of these plagued by Vampirism became known as Damgels they appeared as white winged humanoids that show up in many of our legends.

At this time an angel broke her mold, she found out a secret, one the gods should have paid better attention to. Angels like gods could also become more powerful through worship, as long as she collected more 'believers' she could earn the strength to create, she could forge her own world in her image. She began to collect 'territory' and all she ever asked from her followers is that they acknowledge her existence . In no time the earth was hers and instead of starting over somewhere else creating her own life, she had come to love this planet and its people. She then began to take a step back from the frontlines and watch as with her help they created amazing cities invented devices so advance they were like magic. But then one day something happened and the Angel that had worked so hard to create this world suddenly had nothing, and so she waited playing around with a few pawns but mostly waiting then finally she got bored and decided it was time to rest.

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"Where is she now story teller?" A young boy asked as from his seat a foot away from the old man, the story teller. The old man stroked his beard he seemed rather proud that the boy had asked a question. He sat quietly for a moment stroking his grey beard before finally looking up at the boy.  
"They say she has gone home, to rest among the stars. One day she will come back and again the world will be shown the path of greatness." The old man looked across the crowd that had gathered to listen to his story, he was glad to see a few new faces joining him.

"You are treading on a dangerous path old man" four guards stepped into the circle of listeners and began to send then away.

"I meant no harm." The old man looked up at the guards but was blinded by sun light.

"So then you were not preaching that there is no one God?" The same guard grabbed the old man and pulled him to his feet.

"No, Sir I meant no harm!" The storyteller cried out, he looked across the market spotting the new crowds which had gathered to see this commotion. A few of these people seemed to have picked up rocks ; the old man stared in horror, they were going to stone him to death.

"Then you were preaching that the one true god is a woman? And that mankind is not created in his image, but by these… Earth lords?" The Guard dragged the old man to a corner between two buildings.

"No sir, No! I meant No harm! It was only a tale! None of it was true. Please , Please believe me!" the old man fell to his knees begging. In the corner of the old man's eye there was a flash of white. He wasn't sure what it was, and so began to pray in hopes that God would help him now.

" Praying to God now heretic?" The Guard questioned. Another guard was about to punch down the old man, but suddenly froze up mid action and fell to the ground; a pool of blood surrounded him. People began to run, screaming from the scene. Another guard went to inspect the body of his friend and noticed a thin blade lodged in his back. The guard quickly looked up and in the corner of his vision he spotted a white blur.

"We're being attacked!" The guard shouted.

"There he is!" called another. The Leader of this group picked a rock off from the floor and threw it at the rooftops hoping he hit the man, but there was no yell. The remaining guards got into a circle waiting for the ghost to show its self.  
Upon the roof the white blur jumped off and landed on one of the guards and sent a blade through his head. The blur then jumped from the body of the guard and pounced onto another twisting his head till his spine snapped and then tossed his body to the ground. The last remaining guard dropped his sword and fled the scene screaming. The man in white didn't bother to go after the guard, he just walked up to the old man.

"Thank you sir! I will tell stories of your great kindness!" the old man gave several bows to the man in white, but the man in white said nothing back. He just walked off and again took to the roof tops. Then climbed to the tower of a church so he could get a better view of the city.

Damascus, a golden city in the sands. He was here for a very simple reason; Just as the angel had in the old man's story he too had gained so much power and respect ; but because of several fatal mistakes he had been branded as traitor and now again had to prove his loyalty to the old man of the mountain, Al Mualim . To prove his loyalty to Al Mualim he had to kill nine men. The first of the nine he had just killed, a black market merchant by the name of Tamir. Tamir was a petty-death dealer, creating weapons and selling them to the enemy. He spoke of a brotherhood, the man in white was unsure of his meaning, it appeared as if there was more to these nine men then met the eye.

The man in white dropped into a private garden with barely a sound. He rose slowly shaking off the gravity of the fall, then turned into the only room connected to this garden. In side this room there was a desk behind it mounds of pottery as well as a young man who looked to be painting one of the jars with a black stain. The man looked up from his work and held a boyish smile as the man In white entered.

"Word has reached me of your victory, Altair! You have my gratitude and my respect."

"Thank you" Altair walked further into the room, but didn't move close to the desk.

"It is a shame that the other Assassin's continue to hold you in such low regard." The man looked to the ground and shook his head, he almost seemed to be toying with Altair.

"Rafiq. I do not care what the others think of me." Frankly , Altair only cared for the respect of one man; Al Mualim. He was like a father to Altair and when Al Mualim had labeled him a traitor Altair was hurt, it was as if his own father tossed him out of his home.  
The Rafiq didn't say anything for a few moments, as he tried to understand what Altair was saying. "As you wish, Altair. You should bring news of your victory to Al Mualim. I'm sure he has more work for you to do."

Altair was sure Al Mualim would have more work for him to do too. He knew he was a long way from earning back the respect from his Mentor, not to mention Malik. Malik was with Altair on the day of his failure. They were in Jerusalem in Solomon's Temple buried deep in the earth under the dome of the rock temple. It was in its old halls where they met up with a man by the name of Robert De Sable, a Templar who had gotten in the way of the Assassin's several times before. He was their enemy. Altair thought he would bring peace to the Orders affaires if he got rid of this man there and then. Malik had told him otherwise, but he didn't listen. He attacked Robert and because of this mistake he had lost the artifact he was sent there to collect. He had been separated from Malik and his brother Kadar; and later learned that Kadar had been killed in the temple. Malik would never forgive such arrogance , such disregard for the Orders ways. Altair knew had had done so many stupid mistakes, and the only thing he could do now is prove his remorse through work, and changing of his actions.

Altair headed out of the Bureau and treaded quickly across rooftops to the City gate of Damascus. There he found a mount and saddled up for the long ride back to Masyaf his home town and the main fortress of the Assassin Order. He began the steep climb through a narrow valley cliff before the span of the Arabian desert spread out in front of him. It would be two to three days before he would arrive back in Masyaf.

– Just more time to think of the past- he thought, as his horse ran through the sands.

"You're late Ms. Vitali." A Faun in draped mages robes stood at the front of a sleek black business room. The Faun looked up from a tablet lying on the table his eyes were filled with disappointment, to the lady that had just walked in.

" What have I told you. Vitali is not my real last name!" The lady's face held an irritated expression she quickly dropped into a seat close to the faun, wanting this meeting to be done with.

"That is the name you gave us when you signed into CROSS-"

The woman pinched the bridge of her nose, she was getting sick of having this argument. "Call me Astrid! JUST Astrid. It's the name I was given when I was born and it is the name I have always used for this line of work."

"Ms. Vitali an Angel with your power and connection's would do well to put more effort in preparations for your work. On your last case, your partners reported that you had on several occasions attempted to kill them." The Faun picked up the tablet to better read off of it.

" I know the limits of my team. I have never attempted to do anything that they would not be able to do. Kill, I believe they are over exaggerating my simple commands."

"Simple commands? Are you aware you sent four men running into an enemy base with only a gun, one round of ammo and a short sword?"

"I needed them to travel lightly because we didn't as you say, run straight into the base through the fucking front door! We carefully snuck into an air duct and hid in the ceiling of the building. If we needed more weapons or ammo we stole it from the guards." Astrid dropped her fist on the table, "Why does it matter to CROSS, what I have done? I got the work completed without a single one of my men getting injured or worse. Now why is it that you have called me here?"

"I don't know why, but CROSS has another mission for you. In the Arabian Desert a group of human's have been attempting to bomb several other countries in order to gain world power. Cronus has reported that if they were to succeed, it would completely destroy human civilization. There would be no chance of survival like the last time." The faun looked up from his tablet to see Astrid's reaction to this statement. To his surprise she was unemotional.

"Sir. Mister faun. I know, you know this but I have seen civilizations come and go. I have destroyed races, erased gods. CROSS knows if they want something done they come to me. Human's are mortals and like all mortals they come and go. You should know this Mister faun… Oh that's right, I'll out live you and your kind." Astrid pulled the hood of her dark purple jacket above her head and then swiped the tablet from the Faun. Then she moved swiftly to the door and then stopped. She took a moment and then looked back."Oh and Mister Faun. I'm not completely heartless. I mean I'm still keeping the earth alive am I not. I have been for at least a billion years." And she took her leave. She wouldn't need much when it came to supplies this would be an easy mission.

–humans.- She spat, - how is it that you can be such a threat. You're some of the weakest sentient's to inhabit this universe, yet you cause so much trouble.-

"Hey! Astrid!" Came the voice of a friend of Astrid's, a Human-lycan (werewolf) named Becca. They had known each other for the span of 2 and a half years. A very short time, but Astrid knew they would be friends for much longer.

"Hey Becca. How's the mob doing?" Astrid asked. The Mob was just Astrid's term for the large amount of people she as of recently began hanging with. She enjoyed their company for the time being, but like all good things she knew it would end at some point.

"Everyone's been wondering where you have been. I mean two weeks? CROSS is really shoving mission's down your throat. Is this what you wanted? I mean when you decided to join." They began to walk down the hall together.

"If I knew CROSS was going to do this to me I wouldn't have joined. But apparently it's my right …as an Angel."

"Damgel"

"Right…. I got bitten recently... I should definitely start getting some more blood in my diet."

"Astrid! We don't want you falling over again!" Becca was worried.

"It's not like it matters. I've done my work ,there is nothing left for me to do with this world."

"No you can't just leave this world. I know that there are several gods not too please with what you have done in the past. I know that their out to make your immortal life miserable, like how they are the ones that got you turned. I will not inform the others but you need to stay above this. If those gods were to come in possession of this earth again it would be a massacre! " Becca stopped Astrid in the hall.

"You're over exaggerating. "

"Astrid, even though this world isn't perfect you've done a good job in keeping it balanced."

"Becca all the history that you know I've been asleep for. I'm working on zero right now. On paper it maybe my world but in truth you human's have taken it. It's about time I face the facts, I can't keep this world forever."

"Fine. But please don't go 'dieing' yet. I mean the 2012 summer Olympics are going to start tomorrow and you know the ritual." Becca spoke with excitement.

"I've got a mission, It shouldn't take that long. I should be back by tomorrow morning. Oh and keep an eye out on the news for the games, I've got a surprise for the opening ceremony." Astrid laughed and then waved good bye to her friend. She wondered if she should tell Becca her plans, no that would worry the poor girl.

Her plan's were very simple she would join the Silence. A group of Angels that have lived their life and now are dedicated to the void, also known as the beginning and end of the universe. The Silence do not speak, yet they can understand see the emotions and needs of another. They were an odd group and much of their knowledge is too grand for a mortal to ever understand. If she joined the Silence she would finally be able to do the one thing she never had enough power to do, time travel. She could finally see those years that she missed, she could finally see what she did wrong. Although it would be of no good to her then, at least she would know.

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A man sat in shock in a dark corner of a storage facility. Just moments ago he had watched as several of his team suddenly vanished, their bodies destroyed by blades which then fell to the ground and then disappeared. It was almost as if death wanted more than just their soul. The man held a machine gun close to himself, too scared to move. Too scared to make a sound, in fear that death might get him too. He was the leader of this operation, they were finally going to control the world. These bombs that they had made they were not just ordinary bombs. They had a bit of a side effect, once they exploded they released a gas which caused the remaining populous to be mind controlled. They would finally be able to save mankind from their worst enemy … themselves.

The man held close to a crate with a large label of Abstergo on it. His heart beating in his throat. He wanted it to just stop, he feared that the person after them would hear it. His breathing became heavy with panic ; he wanted so much to hear silence, to not fear death because of his heart beating so loudly or his breath. He wanted so much to hear silence. In a moment his prayers were answered, a blade went through his chest, and for a moment he could hear nothing, nothing at all.

That was it Astrid was done with the place. All she needed to do now was wait. She quickly fled the building and burst out into the sky and used her wings to level herself onto the sand's a good distance away, since the building was about to explode.

The night sky was filled with lights as the build crumbled and fire rose, just destroying the whole scene. Astrid began to take a few steps away from the fires and into the desert, she noticed that the light from the fires was quickly fading and so turned around to see what was going on. To her surprise she was no longer standing in the desert. She was standing in a dark void in front of her was her old Boss, Cronus. The God was two times her height, and appeared like a human. He had black hair slicked back and a goatee, which highlighted his angular face. The only thing not human about him was his eyes they glowed an eerie orange color and some kind of cold fire poured out of them.

"Astrid, my old partner." Cronus gave a friendly smile. "How is it, you have changed so much from the young angel I used to know."

"What do you want?" She asked in no mood to speak with him.

" I only want to know what happened. Same as you."

"Then use your powers to look for the both of us." Astrid turned away from Cronus.

"You know I can't do that. I was in that place in time."

"Then tell me what happened. Tell me what happened to my world!"

"Astrid. My eyes were closed.-"

"You see everything!" She flew up to his head and held a fist in his face ready to beat him down. Cronus grabbed her right wing and threw her to the ground. His face scrunched with anger. Astrid moved quickly to her feet but felt a searing pain in her right wing, it had snapped blood poured out from where the muscle was torn.

"Why is it that you care so much for what happened!" Cronus raised his voice.

"Because I know some of your friends are the cause of it. They were jealous, jealous that a guardian was able to surpass them. Jealous that YOUR messenger took a whole planet, and its people for herself!" She moved to Cronus as she yelled. "I also know that they would do anything to take this planet back, so in order for me to stop them I need names! I need history! But that's right no one seems to remember what happened. Apparently this planet didn't exist for a million years!" She was over exaggerating but still proved her point. What happened in those years?

Cronus was speechless for a moment, taking in Astrid's frustration, but he himself was also angry.

"If I were to take you back to the start you would change everything. Ruin the path that this world has gone on"

"You bastard you owe me your life! You take me to where ever I need to go!" She yelled at him, he then struck her with some kind of force and held her in the air. The force tightened around her, she coughed.

" And If I remember correctly you woke up a bit early… hmm? Had some fun with those lower Egyptian people ,right? Ruled there for quite some time. No I will not send you to the start, But I will send you somewhere, so that you may find the truth of what happened." Crouns paced back and forth.

"Let me go Cronus!" She tried to wiggle free from his spell but it tightened faster and snapped her other wing. She cried out in pain.

" You will find the truth in a place rocked by war, in a desert forged by time, and in a people who will show you no kindness!" Cronus instructed her with a deep voice.

A strong wind began to blow carrying with it sand; it moved in a wave throwing Astrid back. Cronus seemed to have vanished , and the black void changed back into a desert in the midst of a sand storm. Astrid tried to get to her feet, but the pain from her wings was horrific, eventually she made it but stayed in a somewhat curled position. She began to stumble but the wind tossed her around. At some point she felt the ground against her face and the sand began to pile on her.

"Yah!"

Altair pushed his horse over a dune, and a swish of wind blew across his face and carried his robes a bit in the wind. He was shocked as he came over the dune to see splotch of crimson red cover a small area. He got off his horse and moved closer to inspect it. As he approached he could see the face of a woman and her left arm poking out of the sands. He wondered if she was still alive, even if she wasn't it was a poor state to leave a human; covered in sand in the middle of a desert, alone.

–I'll give her a proper burial.- He began to move some sand away with his hands, and was surprised to find that she was still breathing.  
"Hello?" He asked to see if she was conscious enough to speak, but she said nothing. He began to dig faster hoping that with some luck he may be able to save her. He jumped back with surprise to find this woman had a pair of white wings, both were snapped and blood poured out of their wounds.

"A-An angel?" He couldn't believe his eyes. Was she actually there or was he suffering some desert madness? He never really believed that there was a some kind of god, but now he couldn't help but wonder, if this maybe was a sign for a second chance.

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*****Gods... they are very difficult to explain (in the 24-bit universe. That's where Astrid comes from) Their actions are never meant for a mortal like us to understand. Its the same with the Silence you can only take it as being a great honor to join them, what they do is impossible for human's to comprehend**


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